This invention relates to photodetector arrays for mounting on soft military or police type headgear, such as field caps, utility covers, berets, bush hats, ball caps and fatigue hats. Photodetector arrays may be used with conventional manworn photodetector arrays as described in Technical Report, Volume II, Trainer Engineering Report (Final) For Miles, CDRL Item A002, U.S. Government contract No. N61139-76-0060, May 29, 1980, as Revised Apr. 22, 1981, ("1981 Miles Report"), or as described in our co-pending application entitled Micropower Headgear Photodetector Array, Ser. No. 155,147, filed 2-11-88 now abandoned.
The photodetectors are sensitive to coded laser pulses that are transmitted by various weapons used in non-lethal combat training in which the coded laser beam pulses simulate bullets. The photodetectors generate electrical signals in response to the laser beam pulses which strike a photodetector.
It has been common practice to use body harness photodetector arrays which include a radio receiver tuned to the transmitted signals of a small transmitter attached and connected to a helmet mounted photodetector array. The transmitter link avoids the need to connect the helmet to the body harness with wires. A laser "bullet" hit sensed by a helmet mounted photodetector generates an electrical signal that causes the small radio transmitter on the helmet to send the hit signal to the radio receiver of the body harness to indicate a hit. Prior to the present invention no means has been available to mount photodetector arrays on soft hats or caps.